Sunday, March 4, 2012

SIMPLY ASK

Have you ever had a taste for something that you know is yummy, but you end up with something not even close, but you settle anyway?Here’s a little experience I had this past Christmas holiday.

After Christmas weekend, I drove home from visiting my parents.Just before I approached home I had a taste for an eggnog latte, so I decided to go to the drive-thru Starbucks down the street.I ordered my eggnog latte, but the voice through the box was sorry to say that they were out of eggnog.Much to my disappointment, however, I decided to try their gingerbread latte.As I pulled out of the drive-thru with a tall gingerbread latte in my hand, I took a sip and was not pleased at all.It tasted like medicine!Not exactly what I had in mind. As I drove away, I thought to myself, “I just paid nearly 4 dollars for a drink that is horrible.Why should I accept this substitute as okay?”So, I turned around, parked my car and decided to go inside to see if I could exchange it for something else.Couldn’t hurt to ask, right?With a smile on my face, I explained to the person behind the counter what happened and that I was really sorry, but I just didn’t like the gingerbread latte and was wondering if I could have a vanilla latte instead.At least I know those are good.So, the young man turned to his boss who nodded his head and said, “No problem.”Better yet, they refunded my money and gave me a grande latte instead of a tall.I couldn’t believe it!That was so unexpected!I felt so special!I know it’s a simple gesture and some of you may think, “What’s the big deal?” but this truly made my night.I left feeling more than satisfied.As I was driving home, pleased with my free grande vanilla latte, as clear as you are reading this blog,I heard God’s voice in my head say to me, “See Rhoshan, it’s that simple.All you have to do is ask.You were about to drive off, settling for second best.You don’t have because you don’t ask, but, when you do ask, I will give you far beyond your expectations.”Wow, I was so amazed that God could take such a simple thing like buying a cup of coffee to teach me a lesson.But, it is so true!How many times do we settle?We ask for something and because we don’t get it when we want it, we become impatient and just accept what comes along, a substitute, instead of waiting for God’s best.Or, so often we don’t ask at all.Makes me wonder how many of God’s blessings I have missed out on because I simply didn’t ask.

James 4:2&3 You do not have because you do not ask. When you do ask, you don’t receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

A few days later, I heard a powerful message from a preacher on TV, whom I believe to be one of the great evangelists of this generation.Truly an anointed man of God.I won’t mention his name because I don’t like to lift up the man, but rather lift up the Word of God.I believe this message ties in perfectly with why we often don’t ask God.He said something that I have never heard anyone or any other preacher say in all my years as a Christian.He definitely got a revelation from God and it was a revelation for me.In the context of his message about the abundance of God, he made reference on how Jesus, often said to the disciples, “O ye of little faith.”Matthew 8:26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.And again when Peter walked on water towards Jesus but started to sink.Matthew 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Anytime, I have read these passages of scripture or heard it used in a sermon, it has always been used in a negative sense as if Jesus was scolding them or upset because they lacked in their faith.But, this was the first time someone interpreted these words of Jesus in a positive light.When Jesus said, “O ye of little faith” he was actually encouraging his disciples to trust him more.More like,“My beloveds why do you only take so little from me? You know my abundance is never ending, so why do you only ask or expect so little of me?I wish you would trust and expect more, and take more of me.I have so much to give.”

(my thoughts)It would be like a child asking their mother, “Are we having dinner tonight?”Of course they are having dinner tonight.A child doesn’t have to ask that because they expect it and know that their parents would not let them starve.They have such simple faith knowing there will be food on the table.It’s a given!Just as Jesus was trying to remind his disciples that he will supply their every need.The disciples were with Jesus 24/7 and saw all the miracles that Jesus did and all the times he fed the multitudes with plenty left over, but perhaps they thought, as many of us do, that we don’t deserve God’s abundance, we are not worthy, or we just don’t believe enough and often doubt.I know I’ve felt that way many times.We start to condemn ourselves, while all along God has given us so much grace and forgiveness, and he’s just waiting to bless us.

The message I heard, ended with a beautiful statement:“It’s the hand of love that gives and the hand of faith that takes.”So whether it’s as little as a cup of coffee or as great as a physical healing, there is nothing too small or too great for the Lord to provide, but we must first, simply ask.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

4 comments:

What force will lead someone to your blog at a specific time when it's been so long since you posted anything new? And of course as fate would have it, when that person reads your thoughts it is precisely the word that he really needed at that moment in time! Is it coincidence, fate, karma, luck or could it be that God does not operate in the realm of coincidence? I've learned that every action we take is in response to something God placed in our hearts. There is no such thing as a coincidence with God. So as I read about your eggnog latte I laughed thinking if only I had the problem of not being able to drink the one drink I have been craving but had to settle for something else.

My problems seem gargantuan right now and I find myself wondering why God has allowed me to go through this trial. But then you wrote, Oh ye of little faith! That was like a left cross to the chin that you never see coming! Of course the problem in not His but mine. I forgot about my faith. I forgot about all the times He has pulled me out of the pit, lead me into the light and helped me cross over the mountain into the lush valley.

All along God has been offering me the gifts through His neverending love and all I needed to do was cry out to him and then be patient and wait for the reward.

As I sigh a big breath of relief I smile knowing that God is handing me his gift of love and not requiring me to do anything to earn it other than ask with faith knowing that He has never left me or forsaken me. Faith is!!!!!! Thank you Rhoshan.

Thank you anonymous for sharing. I'm sitting here reading your comment as tears well up in my eyes. Just again, realizing how much God truly, truly loves us and as you said, he doesn't require me to do anything to earn it. He just continues to love! God bless you, Rhoshan

Rhoshan Sweetheart, I love your blog 💖💖💖 Perfectly written, spiritual, and by your heart 💖 You're a beautiful woman inside and out! I know how much your parent's are so very proud of you, as I am ..... Daddy is smiling 😊 I too am crying as I write this, for God the Father Love's you very much precious 💖 I believe in miracle's, I believe in hope, I believe in God the Father who sent his Son to set us free, so we can live for all Eturnity 😊Unceasing blessings & love 2lls

Rhoshan Sweetheart, I love your blog 💖💖💖 Perfectly written, spiritual, and by your heart 💖 You're a beautiful woman inside and out! I know how much your parent's are so very proud of you, as I am ..... Daddy is smiling 😊 I too am crying as I write this, for God the Father Love's you very much precious 💖 I believe in miracle's, I believe in hope, I believe in God the Father who sent his Son to set us free, so we can live for all Eturnity 😊Unceasing blessings & love 2lls

My Testimony

There are so many incredible testimonies of how God completely transformed people’s lives that have come out of abuse, tragedy, drugs, alcohol, and some truly extreme and devastating circumstances.For some, God has called them into ministry, to preach the gospel and use their life testimony to serve the Lord and help others who are dealing with similar life struggles.It’s truly awesome when you see the evidence in their lives, what Satan meant for evil, God turned it into good.My life is not quite as dramatic.I have a pretty simple testimony that may seem quite boring compared to others, but it is one of God’s faithfulness in my life.

From the age of 8, I grew up going to church.My mother gave her life to Jesus, and since then we have never stopped going to church.I loved church, and still do.I loved putting on my Sunday best.I have wonderful memories being in Sunday school and summer camps with my friends.I had a childhood of learning the stories of the Bible and all about Jesus.I gave my heart to Jesus when I was 10 years old and was baptized on the same day.I was blessed to be in a home where we always had a Bible Study or some type of fellowship going on.This was a regular part of our lives.Throughout the years of my youth, we were members of a few different churches, so I was exposed to it all; traditional, conservative, charismatic, Pentecostal, I’ve pretty much experienced it all.

In my adult years, I continued to walk with the Lord.Don’t get me wrong, there have been times when I got off the path of God’s will for my life, but even during those times of disappointment and struggles, I remained faithful in going to church.I know that attending church every Sunday does not necessarily make you a good Christian, it’s more than that, but I do believe it is important to fellowship and be a part of the Body of Christ.For me, it kept me rooted and planted in the Lord, especially during those times I was making wrong choices and not living according to God’s will for my life.All the years growing up in church and studying His Word, has given me a solid foundation and kept me rooted.Being in church allowed the Holy Spirit to convict me of the way I was living my life and drew me closer to the Lord which always brought me back on track.I am truly thankful for that, and for having loving parents who have guided me along the way.

I have had two significant moments in my life where God supernaturally revealed himself to me.They were true personal encounters where God was letting me know that He is with me always.They were truly life changing for me.The first experience, I was driving on the fwy from Huntington Beach to Hollywood in the middle of morning rush hour.It was the last week of my internship with Entertainment Tonight.I was at a crossroads in my life and had been really praying about what was next for me.I was sad my internship had come to an end and was really hoping it would lead into a job.I was in my 20’s and really confused and worried about my future.While driving in my car, I was listening to my cassette of Denise Williams singing, “His Eye is on the Sparrow.”I was weeping in my car.It was a cry from the depths of my soul.I began to feel a tingly sensation that traveled from my toes up through my arms to my fingertips.I thought to myself,“oh no, not now Lord, is this really happening right now?”I’m sure you’ve heard the term “being slain in the Spirit” well, the Holy Spirit was all over me and I was out cold.There I was, driving in rush hour in the fast lane, and for the next few minutes, seconds, I have no idea how long it was, but I could feel the presence of the Lord with me.I can only imagine the cars next to me must have witnessed some glowing light beaming from my car. ("I often wonder.") When I came back to cognizance, I felt such a peace within.I felt light as a feather.My hands were still on the wheel, my car was moving forward, along with the rest of the commuters.I hadn’t been in any accident and no one was honking their horn at me.But, all of that didn’t matter to me.The only words that I could hear, was God telling me not to worry, that He is in control of my life. He is in the driver seat of my life.Wow, he really proved it right there in my car when he took over driving for me!Like the song says, When Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is He. His eye is on the sparrow and He watches over me.The rest of my drive to Hollywood was glorious!I was having my own praise and worship session in my car.I must have been floating the rest of the way.That same day when I arrived at ET, my supervisor told me that she had recommended me for a position that just became available as the assistant to the Executive in Charge of Production and Supervising Producer.By the end of the week, I was hired for the job.My eyes are welling up with tears again, just remembering how awesome God is and how much he loves me.From that day on, I’ve never stopped believing that God is with me always and he takes care of me.He truly is my Father in heaven.

The second encounter happened in my early 30’s.My career was going great.I was living the Hollywood life.Went on a European vacation and then suddenly everything came to a halt.No work, no money for rent.I was literally living like a hobo for a few months, house sitting and sleeping on my friend’s couch.I was going to school at night at Cal State Northridge.The semester ended and I finally graduated with my Bachelors Degree.After graduation, I had to come to the reality of my circumstance, and move back home with my dad, until I found a job.I fought so hard to not leave Hollywood and go back to OC.I was afraid of removing myself from the business and becoming disconnected, but I had no other choice.So, it was back to the OC.

I lived with my dad for almost a year, before things turned around for me.During that time I really drew closer to the Lord.I know for some people they walk away from God when trials come, but for me, it was always the opposite.When my life was good, I had a tendency to put the Lord second, but when struggles hit I would run into His arms.In my life, it’s during those times, when I’m in the desert, that God can truly work on me, purify my heart, build my character so he can then reveal his plan and purpose for my life.It was not always easy.There were days when I felt depressed and insecure.I was so thankful that I was with my family.My relationship with my father grew so much closer, and I know that God wanted me to be with my family for that season of my life.During that year, I was reading my Bible everyday, praying daily, going to church anytime the doors were opened, attending church conferences and other events and having amazing discussions with my mother about the Lord.I completely submerged myself in Him.I truly desired to know more of God.

Three quarters of that year passed, when I received a call from my former boss asking me to work on a project for a couple of weeks.I was so excited and couldn’t wait to get back in the game.At the end of the two weeks, on a Saturday afternoon, I was hanging out with my closest friend.We were shopping along 3rd street Promenade in Santa Monica.It was a beautiful day.We sat on a bench watching all the people walking by.At that moment I started feeling emptiness within.It was like the world around me and all of it’s activity was silent and I could only hear my thoughts thinking,“here I am, just had a great two weeks of work, back on the scene, hanging out with my best friend, all these people around us, a beautiful day in Southern California, and yet all I could feel was complete emptiness, not fulfilled at all.”There was something lacking.The next day, Sunday, I went to church with my mother.We were a few minutes late, so they had already started praise and worship.As we entered the sanctuary, I felt this incredible feeling come over me, I don’t know how to explain it, but I just began to cry.I couldn’t stop weeping.My mother asked if I was okay. These were not tears of sadness but tears of complete joy.I could feel the presence of God around me.I felt at home.God was filling that emptiness in my heart.God poured out His love on me that morning and revealed to me that only He can complete my life.Only he can satisfy that void and emptiness.There is nothing under the sun that will ever satisfy our desires and wants.We will always feel unsatisfied with the things of this world.What the world has to offer is just temporary.That entire service I could not stop crying because of how much God loves me and that He is my all and all!

After that revelation, I was able to let go.If God didn’t want me working in Hollywood, I was willing to go wherever he wanted me and change careers, if necessary.I decided to take the CBEST exam to get my credential to substitute teach and actually did that for a couple of months with the high schools.A few weeks later, I was offered a job at ABC.It was exactly a year from the day I had to leave Hollywood and move back home.See, God is so awesome!I truly believe, and know for a fact, that God will give you the desires of your heart, but he wants all of you first.He wants to know that you are willing to let that dream go and put Him first.We have to desire Him above all. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.He put me back in Hollywood, but this time to be a light.He was preparing me for the task set before me.God doesn’t set us up for failure.He wants us to be fully equipped in Him for what’s ahead.And, let me tell you, He blesses us far beyond and above what we can ever imagine!

I’ve accomplished and experienced amazing things in my life.I’ve been very successful in my career, I’ve traveled the world, and I have many nice things.I have great friendships and I have a wonderful family and so much love in my life.I am truly blessed!But, at the end of the day, my relationship with my Lord and Savior is what blesses me the most.

As I said in the beginning, my testimony is not as radical as some, but my life is a testimony of one who has simply remained faithful and never turned away from the Lord, and God has always been faithful to me.I don’t say all this to boast about myself, but only to encourage others to never give up hope and keep trusting in God.Funny, who knew that now in my 40’s I’d be writing a blog titled “feet of faith” - the story of my life.But, God knew!And only He can orchestrate this with such brilliance.He knows the plans he has for our lives and the good work he began in us, he will see it through to the end.